Deep well pumping actuator



Dec. 22, 1959 J. P. GOULD DEEP WELL PUMPING ACTUATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 16, 1956 1N VEN TOR. fly 1? Gauze w 4/ 4 114 W h $31 K l uir Dec.'22, 1959 J. P. GOULD DEEP WELL PUMPING ACTUATOR n 6 e O 7 .3 mm. M w fm W 6 w w A u.

ie BY M Filed July 16, 1956 United States Patent 2,918,014 DEEP WELL PUMPING ACTUATOR Jay P. Gould, La Canada, Calif. Application July 16, 1956, Serial No. 597,941

8 Claims. Cl. 103-46) This invention relates to an apparatus for operating a deep well pump and relates more particularly to a pump actuator to raise the collar pr cage of a conventional deep well pump upon the downward stroke of the operating string of sucker rods connected thereto and to lower the pump collar upon the upward stroke of the string of sucker rods. A general object of the present invention is to provide a dependable and very effective deep well pump actuator.

Deep well pumps such as are used in oil wells are usually anchored in or suspended from strings of tubing extending from the tops to the bottoms of the wells. The strings of tubing carrying the pumps serve to conduct the pumped liquid to the top of the well and normally carry a full column of liquid. The ordinary deep well pump is operated by a string of sucker rods extending from the top of the pump to the top of the well where it is engaged and reciprocated vertically by a suitable drive means. The ordinary deep well pump discharges and urges the column of liquid occurring in the tubing upwardly upon the upward stroke of the pump and sucker rod string, and takes in a new charge of fluid upon the downward stroke.

In a deep well the liquid column in the tubing is very heavy and imposes a severe strain on the string of sucker rods on the upward or discharge stroke and thereby materially limits the depth to which a well can be drilled and effectively operated without resorting to the use of one of several costly and complicated pumping systems or apparatus that have been developed to overcome the above-mentioned problem and which eliminate the operating string of sucker rods.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide a practical and economical device applicable to a deep well pump and adapted to actuate the pump to discharge the liquid therein upon the downward stroke of the sucker rod string and to thereby utilize the weight of the said sucker rod string to raise the column of liquid in the tubing.

Another object of this invention is to provide a deep Well pump actuator that is easy to install between the pump and the operating string of sucker rods and which is constructed and proportioned to freely enter the well tubing and to allow for free passage of the liquid thereby and upwardly in the tubing.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a suitable anchoring means for the deep well pump actuator, which means serves to maintain the actuator in fixed position in the tubing.

It is another object of this invention to provide a deep well pump actuator of the general character referred to that is simple and inexpensive of manufacture and which embodies a minimum number of simple parts.

The various objects and features of my invention will be fully understood from the following detailed descriptionof a typical preferred form and application of my invention, throughout which description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the lower end of a well structure showing the actuator that I provide engaged therein and in elevation. Fig. 2-2a is an elongate, broken section view of the actuator that I provide and taken as indicated by line 2-2 on Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken as indicated by line 33 on Fig. 1 and illustrating the anchoring means that I provide. Fig. 4 is a detailed transverse sectional view taken as indicated by line 4-4 on Fig. 2a, and Fig. 5 is a view showing a slightly modified form of the present invention and showingcertain parts thereof in section. A

In the drawings, I have shown the deep well pump actuator A that I provide, engaged in the lower or bottom end of a typical well structure W which includes a well casing C, a tubing T extending through the case with considerable clearance, a pump P within the tubing at the lower end portion thereof, and an operating sucker rod string S related to the upper end of the pump and extending to the top of the well through the tubing where it is engaged by and reciprocated vertically by a suitable drive means (not shown).

The pump P is removably secured in the tubing T by an anchor or the like (not shown) and is operated by the sucker rod string S extending through the tubing T. In accordance with the usual practice, the pump P is adapted to be operated by reciprocation of the sucker rod string and is removable from the tubing T by pulling the string from the well. The pump P, of course, may be of any type and construction and when in operation serves to raise fluid upon the upward stroke of the sucker rod from the well through the tubing T. The tubing T extends to the ground surface and normally contains a full column of liquid.

The deep well pump actuator A provided by the present invention is interposed between the pump P and the sucker rod string S and is releasably secured or anchored to the tubing T at a point spaced above the pump. The actuator A that I provide may be said to comprise generally, an upper hydraulic cylinder and piston unit B adapted to be coupled to and driven by the sucker rod string S, a lower hydraulic cylinder and piston unit D adapted to be coupled to and to drive the pump P, fluid conducting means E extending between and establishing open communication between the upper and lower cylinder and piston units B and D, and whereby the lower unit D is operated in response to operation of the upper unit B, and anchor ing means F releasably securing the actuator to the well tubing T. w

The upper cylinder and piston unit B is shown as including an elongate vertically disposed cylinder 10, a plug 11 engaged in and closing the lower end of the cylinder, and a head 12 releasably engaged in and closing the upper end of the cylinder. The unit B is further shown as including a piston 13 engaged in the cylinder 10 to be shiftable longitudinally thereon and an elongate vertically disposed drive rod 14 fixed to the piston 13 to project upwardly through the head 12 and to connect with the lower end of the string of sucker rods S.

The cylinder 10 is a simple elongate tubular member having a straight central bore 112 and a straight unobstructed outer wall 16. The lower end of the cylinder 10 is internally threaded at 17 to receive the plug 11, while the upper end of the cylinder is provided with an internally threaded counterbore 18 to receive the head 12, as will hereinafter be described.

The plug 11 is shown as a simple imperforate discshaped member corresponding in diameter with the cylinder 10 andv having an upwardly projecting boss 2Q adapted to be threadedly engaged in the lower threaded portion 17 of the cylinder and having a downwardly projecting boss 21 adapted to engage in and close the upper end of the cylinder of the lower cylinder and piston unit D as will hereinafter be described.

In the case illustrated, the boss 20 of the plug 11 is advanced into the lower end of the cylinder to bring the disc-shaped member of the plug into flat engagement with the lower terminal end of the cylinder where it is fixed to and sealed with the cylinder as by welding w or the like.

The head 12 of the cylinder and piston unit B that I provide is a simple elongate vertically disposed tubular member corresponding in outside diameter with the cylinder 10 and having a central bore 22 freely receiving the drive rod 14. The head 12 is provided with a reduced portion 23 at its lower end, which portion is adapted to be threadedly engaged in the bore 18 in the upper end of the cylinder 10.

A suitable sealing means G is provided in the head 12 to seal around the drive rod 14 extending therethrough. In the particular case illustrated, the means G is shown as including a counterbore 24 entering the head from the upper end thereof, a suitable packing 25 in the bottom of the counterbore and a packing gland 26 threadedly engaged in the counterbore from the upper end thereof and serving to urge the packing into sealing engagement around the rod 14.

p The piston 13 of the upper cylinder and piston unit B is shown as a simple disc-shaped member slidably engaged in the bore of the cylinder 10 and is shown provided with a pair of vertically spaced piston rings 27 about its exterior, which rings establish sealing engagement with the said bore of the cylinder.

The drive rod 14 is a simple vertically disposed member, round in cross sectional configuration. The upper end of the rod 14 is formed similar to the end of a conventional sucker rod so that the connection between the drive rod and the lower end of the sucker rod string can be easily and conveniently made. The lower end of the rod 14 is shown provided with an enlargement 28 adapted to engage the top of the piston, a threaded extension 29 projecting downwardly from the enlargement to project through a suitable opening in the piston and to be engaged by a suitable lock nut 30. The nut 30 engages the bottom side of the piston and holds it in fixed engagement against the enlargement 29 on the rod.

The lower cylinder and piston unit D is substantially the same in construction as the upper unit B and includes an elongate vertically disposed cylinder 31, a head 32, a piston 33, and a driven rod 34. The cylinder 31, like the cylinder 10, has a straight cylindrical bore 134 and a straight outer wall 35. The bore and the outer wall of the cylinder 31 correspond in diameter with or are the same as the cylinder 10.

The upper end of the cylinder 31 is threadedly engaged on the depending boss 21 of the plug 11 so as to establish butting engagement with the bottom side of the discshaped portion of the plug and is secured and sealed thereto as by welding w. The lower end of the cylinder 31 is provided with an internally threaded counterbore 36 adapted to receive an upwardly projecting threaded portion, of reduced diameter, on the head 32.

The head 32 of the lower cylinder and piston unit D like the head 12 of the upper unit B corresponds in outside diameter with the cylinder 31 and has a central bore 37 adapted to pass the driven rod 34.

g A suitable packing means H identical to the packing G in the head 12, is provided in the head 32 to seal around the driven rod 34.

The piston 31 and the driven rod 34 of the lower cylinder and piston unit D are similar in construction with and are related to each other and to the other elements of the construction in the same manner as the piston 13 and drive rod 14 of the upper unit 3 ex cept that the lo'wer'end of the driven rod 34 projecting through and depending from the head 32, connects with the upper end of the pump P.

The fluid conducting means E adapted to establish communication between the upper and lower cylinder and piston units B and D and so that the rod and piston in unit D is operated in direct response to movement of the piston and rod in the unit B, includes two transfer ducts 40 and 41 extending between and establishing open communication between the upper and lower cylinders 10 and 31.

With the relationship of parts set forth above, it will be apparent that upon downward movement of the piston 13 in the upper cylinder 10, as by downward movement of the sucker rod strin'g- S, fluid in the lower portion of the cylinder 10 is displaced or transferred into the lower portion of the lower cylinder 31 through the duct 41 and urges the piston 33 in the lower cylinder upwardly, thereby lifting the driven rod 34 and the shiftable pumping element connected thereto upwardly. As the lower piston is shifted upwardly in the manner set forth above, the fluid in the upper portion of the lower cylinder 31 is transferred or displaced into the upper portion of the upper cylinder 10 through the duct 41) and serves to urge the upper piston downwardly therein. 7

Upon the upward stroke of the sucker rod string, the piston 13 in the upper cylinder and piston unit B is shifted upwardly in the cylinder 10, and the flow or' transfer of fluid set forth above is reversed and the piston in the lower cylinder 31 and the shiftable element of the pump P related thereto are urged downwardly.

In practice, the ducts 40 and 41 can be of any suitable construction. That is, they could be in the form of simple tubes connected to their related ends of the cylinders 10 and 31 as by suitable fittings, or they could, if desired, be simple longitudinal flow passages formed in the side walls of the cylinders as by drilling or the like.

In the particular case illustrated, the ducts 4b and 41 are shown as being established by suitable outwardly opening channels 50 and 51 extending longitudinally of the cylinders 11 and 31 and the plug 11 and provided with ports 52 and 53 at their opposite ends and estab lishing open communication with the interiors of the cylinders. Closure plates 54 and 55 are related to the channels 50 and 5 1 to overlie and close the channels. The closure plates 54 and 55 are fixed to and sealed with the outer walls of the cylinders and the plug as by welding w or the like.

It will be apparent that the cross sectional area in the upper portion of the upper cylinder 16 and the lower portion of the lower cylinder 31, and through which the drive and driven rods 14 and 34 extend, are smaller in cross sectional area than the lower portion of the upper cylinder and the upper portion of the lower cylinder and through which the drive and driven rods do not extend. As a result of the above differential in the related ends of the cylinders 10 and 31, it will be apparent that while each piston is shifted in response to movement of the other piston, the rate of relative movement therebetween is varied. The varied movement of the pistons in the cylinders normally tends to establish a fluid block or lock which would prevent movement of the pistons in the cylinders.

In order to compensate for the differential in cross sectional area of the related ends of the cylinders and to prevent blocking or locking ofthe pistons by the fluid, I have provided an air chamber X in the head 12 of the upper cylinder and piston unit B, which chamber is in open communication with the upper end of the upper cylinder 10. The air chamber X is shown as being established in" the head 12 by a suitable downwardly opening counterbore 57 entering the head from its bottom end.

In the particular case illustrated, I have shown a suitable perforated partition 58 engaged in the lower end of the head and adapted to control the flow of the hydraulic fluid into and out of the chamber X.

Upon movement of the pistons 13 and 33 in cylindersand 31, and with the resulting differential in the volume of fluid flowing between the related ends of the cylinders, the air in the chamber X is compressed or expanded to compensate for the differential in the volume of fluid being transferred, allowing for full movement of the device and preventing a fluid lock.

In addition to the above, the air chamber X also serves to provide a pneumatic cushioning assuring smooth operation of the actuator.

In Fig. 5 of the drawings, I have illustrated a slightly modified form of the invention and in which the cross sectional area in the cylinders 10' and 31', at the opposite sides of the pistons 13 and 33 occurring therein, is the same. In this form of the invention, the plug 11' occurring between the cylinders 10' and 31' is of considerable longitudinal extent and is provided with a central longitudinal bore 70 communicating with the cylinders and slidably receiving balance rods 71 and 72 fixed to and projecting from the pistons 13' and 33. The balance rods 71 and 72 correspond in cross sectional area with the drive and driven rods 14 and 34'. In such a construction, the air chamber X could be dispensed with. In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 5, I have shown suitable packings 73 and 74 in the plug 11' to seal with the rods 71 and 72.

The anchoring means F that I provide is adapted to maintain the actuator A in fixed position in the tubing T at a point spaced a predetermined distance above the pump P. The particular means F illustrated in the drawings is shown as including a tubing coupling 60 engaged in the string of the tubing T and provided with a plurality of radially inwardly projecting pins 61, which pins engage in suitable bayonet slots 62 provided in the head 32 of the lower cylinder and piston unit D.

With the above combination and relationship of parts, it will be apparent that upon lowering the actuator A into the tubing T, the pins 61 can be engaged in the bayonet slots 62 and that upon rotation of the actuator a predetermined distance, can be locked therein.

In practice, any suitable anchoring means can be employed and it is to be understood that the particular anchoring means F illustrated and described above is only illustrative of one single and inexpensive form of anchoring means that could be employed.

It is to be understood that the actuator that I provide could be engaged or interposed in the sucker rod string at any desired location and need not be coupled directly with the pump.

In the ordinary well construction where the pump is driven by a string of sucker rods, and where the column of fluid in the tubing must be raised by the sucker rod string S by upward stroke thereof, the safe depth limit of such wells is approximately ten thousand feet. By employing the actuator provided by the present invention, and wherein the column of fluid is raised upon the downward stroke and by the weight of the string of sucker rods,

it is possible to safely operate a conventional deep well pump in wells as deep as twenty thousand feet.

Having described only a typical preferred form and application of my invention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specific details herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any variations or modifications that may appear to those skilled in the art and fall within the scope of the following claims:

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A unitary well pump actuator adapted to be engaged with a reciprocating well pump at the lower end of a well tubing and with an operating string of sucker rods within the tubing including, upper and lower hydraulic cylinders and piston units arranged in fixed relative relationship, said upper unit having a drive rod and connected with the string of sucker rods, said lower unit having a driven rod connected with the pump, anchor means securing the units to the tubing, said units being charged with operating fluid, and fluid conducting means extending between the cylinder units and adapted to conduct the operating fluid from one unit to the other and so that when said drive rod is shifted 1n one direction said driven rod is shifted in the opposite direction.

2. A unitary well pump actuator adapted to be engaged with a reciprocating well pump at the lower end of a vertically disposed well tubing and with a reciprocating string of sucker rods within the tubing including, upper and lower sealed hydraulic cylinders and piston units arranged in fixed relative relationship, said upper unit having a drive rod connected with the string of sucker rods, said lower unit having a driven rod connected with the pump, anchor means securing the units within the tubing, said units being charged with operating fluid, and fluid conducting means extending between the cylinder units and adapted to conduct said operating fluid from one unit to the other and so that when said drive rod is shifted in one direction said driven rod is shifted in thev opposite direction, said upper cylinder unit having an air chamber adapted to compensate for diiferentials in the volume of operating fluid being transferred.

3. A well pump actuator adapted to be engaged with a reciprocating well pump at the lower end of a vertically disposed well tubing and with a reciprocating string of sucker rods within the tubing including, upper and lower sealed hydraulic cylinders and piston units, said upper unit having a drive rod connected with the string of sucker -rods, said lower unit having a driven rod connected with the pump, anchor means securing the units within the tubing, fluid conducting means extending between the cylinder units and adapted to conduct fluid from one unit to the other and so that when said drive rod is shifted in one direction said driven rod is shifted in the opposite direction, and an elongate plug with a central bore between the cylinders and slidably receiving balance rods carried by the pistons.

4. In combination, a well structure having a vertical string of production tubing, a reciprocating pump secured to the lower end of the tubing and having a vertically shiftable member, said pump being adapted to discharge upon vertical shifting of said element, a vertically disposed string of sucker rods in the tubing and adapted to be reciprocated to operate the pump and an actuator interposed between the pump and the sucker rod string and including, a pair of vertically spaced cylinders, an elongated plug with a central longitudinal bore extending between and connecting the cylinders, a double acting piston in each cylinder, a drive rod carried by the piston in the uppermost cylinder and connected with the sucker rod string, a driven rod carried by the piston in the lowermost cylinder and connected to the pump, a balance rod carried by each piston and engaged in the bore in the plug, anchor means securing the cylinders to the tubing, and fluid conducting means establishing open communication between the cylinders whereby the piston and driven rod related to the lower cylinder is shifted in the opposite direction from that direction in which the drive rod and piston in the upper cylinder is shifted and so that the pump is operated to discharge upon the downward stroke of the sucker rod string.

5. In combination, a well with a vertical tubing, a reciprocating pump secured to the lower end of the tubing, a vertically disposed string of sucker rods in the tubing and adapted to be reciprocated to operate the pump, and an actuator interposed between the pump and the sucker rod string and including, upper and lower axially aligned cylinders, plug means between and connecting the cylinders, a double acting piston in each cylinder, an upper head engaged in and closing the upper end of the upper cylinder, a drive rod carried by the piston in the upper cylinder and projecting upwardly therefrom through the upper head and connected with the sucker rod string, a lower head engaged in and closing the lower end of the lower cylinder, a driven rod carried by the piston in the lower cylinder and depending therefrom through the lower head and connected with the pump, said cylinders being charged with operating fluid and fluid conducting means establishing open communication between the cylinders whereby the piston and driven rod related to the lower cylinder are shifted in the opposite direction from the direction in which the drive rod and piston in the upper cylinder isshifted by the sucker rod string and so that the pump is operated to discharge upon the downward stroke of the sucker rod string.

6. In combination, awell with a vertical tubing, a reciprocating pump secured to the lower end of the tubing, a vertically disposed string of sucker rods in the tubing and adapted to be reciprocated to operate the pump, and an actuator interposed between the pump and the sucker rod string and including, upper and lower axially aligned cylinders, plug means between and connecting the cylinders, a double acting piston in each cylinder, an upper head engaged in and closing the upper end of theupper cylinder, a drive rod carried by the piston in the upper cylinder and projecting upwardly therefrom through the upper head and connected with the sucker rod string, a lower head engaged in and closing the lower end of the lower cylinder, a driven rod carried by the piston in the lower cylinder and depending therefrom through the lower head and connected with the pump, said cylinders being charged with operating fluid and fluid conducting means establishing open communication between the cylinders whereby the piston and driven rod related to the lower cylinder are shifted in the opposite direction from the direction in which the drive rod and piston in the upper cylinder is shifted by the sucker rod string and so that the pump is operated to discharge upon the downward stroke of the sucker rod string, and an air chamber in the upper head communicating with the upper cylinder and adapted to compensate for diiferentials in the volume of fluid being transferred between said cylinders.

7. In combination, a well with a vertical tubing, a pump secured to the lower end of the tubing and having avertically shiftable member, said pump being adapted to discharge upon vertical shifting of said element, a vertically disposed string of sucker rods in the tubing and adapted to be reciprocated to operate the pump, and an actuator interposed between the pump and the sucker rod string and including, upper and lower axially aligned cylinders, and an elongate plug with a vertical longitudinal bore extending between and connecting the cylinders, a double acting piston in each cylinder, a balance rod carried by each piston and engaged in the bore in the plug, an upper head engaged in and closing the upper end of the upper cylinder, a drive rod carried by the piston in the upper cylinder and projecting upwardly therefrom through the upper head and connected with the sucker rod string, a lower head engaged in and closing the lower end of the lower cylinder, a driven rod carried by the piston in the lower cylinder and depending therefrom through the lower head and connected with the pump, and fluid conducting means establishing open communication between the cylinders whereby the piston and driven rod related to the lower cylinder are shifted in the opposite direction from the direction in which the drive rod and piston in the upper cylinder is shifted by the sucker rod string and so that the pump is operated to discharge upon the downward stroke of the sucker rod string.

8. In combination, a well with a vertical tubing, a reciprocating pump secured to the lower end of the tubing, and having a vertically shiftable member, said pump being adapted to discharge upon vertical shifting of said element, a vertically disposed string of sucker rods in the tubing and adapted to be reciprocated to operate the pump and an actuator interposed between the pump and the sucker rod string and including, upper and lower axially aligned cylinders, an elongate plug with a central longitudinal bore extending between and connecting the cylinders, a double acting piston in each cylinder, a balance rod carried by each piston and engaged in the bore in the plug, an upper head engaged in and closing the upper end of the upper cylinder, a drive rod carried by the piston in the upper cylinder and projecting upwardly therefrom through the upper head and connected with the sucker ro'd string, a lower head engaged in and closing the lower end of the lower cylinder, a driven rod carried by the piston in the lower cylinder and depending therefrom through the lower head and connected with the pump, and fluid conducting means including a first fluid passage extending between and connecting the lower ends of the upper and lower cylinders and a second fluid passage extending between and connecting the upper ends of the upper and lower cylinders, the passages adapted to transfer fluid to and from the opposite ends of the upper cylinder to and from the opposite ends of the lower cylinder whereby the piston and the rod related to the lower cylinder is shifted in the opposite direction and in direct response to movement of the piston and rod related to the upper cylinder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,304,330 Laursen May 20, 1919 1,723,162 Harris Aug. 6, 1929 2,079,996 Humason May 11, 1937 2,162,748 Richards et al June 20, 1939 2,676,546 Coberly Apr. 27, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 2,785 Great Britain of 1862 

